Systems and methods for an automated, near real-time, and mobile identification and localization approach with a combination of battery-less identification marking technologies and pseudo range-free localization algorithms

• US 10,268,939 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2016
• Issued: 04/23/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
• Original Assignee: Arizona Board of Regents (University of Arizona)
• Inventors: Torrent, David Grau
• Primary Examiner(s): Casillashernandez, Omar
• Application Number:
  US15/568,074
• Publication Number:
  US 20180121777A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/01 Satellite radio beacon positioning systems transmitting time-stamped messages, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System], GLONASS [Global Orbiting Navigation Satellite System] or GALILEO
• CPC Class Codes: G06K 19/0723 the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications

Abstract

Embodiments of an automated and mobile identification and localization system and method for tracking both the final (stationary) and intermediate (transient) location of non-bulk resources and components are disclosed.

Claims

1. A passive tracking system comprising:

a roving agent having a radio frequency identification receiver, the roving agent being operable for moving one or more tagged items from a first location to a second location;

a passive radio frequency identification tag associated with each respective one or more tagged items being moved from the first location to the second location by the roving agent, the passive radio frequency identification tag being detected by the radio frequency identification receiver when located on the roving agent; and

a positional receiver associated with the roving agent and synchronized with the passive radio frequency identification receiver of the roving agent; and

a processor having access to data combined from the radio frequency identification receiver and the positional receiver, the processor being configured to, in real-time;

analyze translocation data including a set of position coordinates defining locations of the one or more tagged items, the translocation data further including signal intensity data associated with the one or more tagged items at each of the locations,

dynamically select specific ones of the locations where the signal intensity data meets a predetermined minimum threshold value of signal intensity,

infer a likelihood of a predetermined location of the one or more tagged items based on the translocation data associated with the specific ones of the locations,

continuously collect data associated with translocation of the one or more tagged items from one location to another, the data including information about movement of the roving agent at any given time, and

identify one or more patterns or trends, or insights through analysis of the translocation data in order to increase efficiency of an operation being passively tracked by the passive tracking system.

2. The passive tracking system of claim 1, wherein the first location of the roving agent is when the respective one or more of the tagged items is first located on the roving agent and the second location of the roving agent is when the respective one or more of the tagged items is no longer located on the roving agent.

3. The passive tracking system of claim 2, wherein the predetermined location includes a final location or an intermediate location.

4. The passive tracking system of claim 1, wherein the processor is in operative communication with the radio frequency identification receiver for identifying which passive radio frequency identification tags are traveling with the roving agent.

5. The passive tracking system of claim 4, wherein the processor executes instructions for determining which of the passive radio frequency identification tags are traveling with the roving agent and which of the passive radio frequency identification tags are stationary and not traveling with the roving agent.

6. The passive tracking system of claim 4, further comprising a database in operative communication with the processor, the database including data related to the position of each respective one or more passive radio frequency identification tags.

7. The passive tracking system of claim 1, wherein the processor executes instructions in which the position of a respective one or more passive radio frequency identification tags in the database is updated when detected by the radio frequency identification receiver.

8. The passive tracking system of claim 7, wherein the position of the respective one or more passive radio frequency identification tags is the position of the roving agent when the respective one or more passive radio frequency identification tags is detected by the radio frequency identification receiver.

9. The passive tracking system of claim 1, wherein the radio frequency identification receiver is operable to detect one or more passive radio frequency identification tags when in close proximity to the roving agent and not located on the roving agent.

10. The passive tracking system of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more passive identification tags is battery-less.

11. The passive tracking system of claim 1, wherein the positional reader comprises a global positioning system.

12. A processor for passively tracking an operation, configured to:

access translocation data combined from a radio frequency identification receiver associated with a roving agent and a positional receiver;

analyze translocation data including identifying a set of position coordinates defining locations of one or more tagged items, the translocation data further including signal intensity data associated with the one or more tagged items at each of the locations;

dynamically select specific ones of the locations where the signal intensity data meets a predetermined minimum threshold value of signal intensity;

infer a likelihood of a predetermined location of the one or more tagged items based on the translocation data associated with the specific ones of the locations;

continuously collect data associated with translocation of the one or more tagged items from one location to another, the data including information about movement of the roving agent at any given time;

and

identify one or more patterns or trends, or insights through analysis of the translocation data in order to increase efficiency of the operation being passively tracked.

13. The processor of claim 12, wherein the predetermined location includes a final location or an intermediate location of the one or more tagged items.